Australia’s PM Announces Taskforce To Tackle Drug ‘Ice’

CANBERRA, April 8 (Bernama) — Australia’s approach to tackle the scourge of crystal methamphetamine or ‘ice’ will be overhauled after Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced a new national taskforce for the drug epidemic on Wednesday.

Abbott said the coordinated effort would ensure every state and territory took the ‘menace’ of ice seriously, Xinhua news agency reported.

At a street price of US$500 (RM1.8 billion) a gramme, methamphetamine is eight times higher than China’s street price.

Former Victoria Police commissioner, Key Lay will coordinate local, state and federal efforts to curb the use, sale, manufacture and interception of the drug.

The taskforce will develop a national ice action strategy and submit an interim report to Abbott by the middle of the year.

It will examine all existing efforts to address ice and identify ways to take a systematic, comprehensive and coordinated approach to education, health and law enforcement.